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Ceviche Clasico (Classic Ceviche)

Ceviche is a dish that could only have been born in Peru — not only is Ceviche a marriage of ingredients from the Sea and the Land, but also a fusion of Inca, Spanish, and Japanese cultures. And when you prepare Ceviche, not only are you mixing ingredients, but you are also bringing together all of these worlds into a bowl. Presenting, the godfather of the Ceviche Family — the Ceviche Classico.

Ceviche is the art of the perfect balance between acidity, spiciness, and freshness, bringing homage to nature. — Gaston Acurio

Start with a fresh white fish, and season with salt. For the acid, add lime juice. For the spiciness, use jalapeño and habanero hot peppers. For a crunchy contrast, add onions and toasted cancha corn. And for a hint of sweet, mix in sweet potato cubes. Garnish with a few cilantro leaves for color and aroma, and you are ready to enjoy the perfect dish for Summer and Peru’s homage to nature.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 lb. petrale sole, cleaned and deboned

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeño pepper

5 thin slices julienned habanero

1/8 small red onion, julienned

1 oz. lime juice, about 1 or 2 limes

1 round cooked sweet potato, diced

cilantro leaves and toasted cancha corn for garnish

PREPARATION

In addition to the ingredients above, you’ll need a non-reactive bowl and fork or spoon to mix the ingredients, a small bowl to wash the onion, a mason jar for the lime juice, a sharp knife and cutting board, and a small plate or bowl to serve the ceviche.

slice in half lengthwise, devein, and deseed the jalapeño and habanero peppers

mince the jalapeño, and julienne the habanero

julienne the red onion, place in a small bowl and rinse with cold running water three times

toast about 2 tablespoons of cancha corn in a skillet with oil over medium to high heat until they brown and begin to pop

slice a lime or two and squeeze 1 oz. lime juice into a mason jar

add the jalapeño and habanero peppers to the lime juice in the mason jar, stir with fork and let rest

cut the fish into small squares, about 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch

place fish in mixing bowl, season with salt, and mix with fork

pour the lime juice with the hot peppers over the fish, toss with fork for a few minutes until fish begins to cook and turn opaque

toss in the julienned red onion, diced sweet potato, cancha corn, a few cilantro leaves, and continue to toss for another few minutes

serve on a small plate

SERVINGS

1 serving

PAIRING

Pair with a citrus based Pisco cocktail such as the Pisco Sour, Habanero Pisco Sour, or Chilcano. A white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling will also provide a nice contrast and balance to this spicy dish.

NOTES

Keep the fish in the refrigerator while you are prepping all the other ingredients, only remove it when you are ready to cut the fish. If you can’t find cancha corn, you can use fresh yellow corn, cooked on the cob in boiling water, and removed from the kernel before serving. If you want more heat, you can use a serrano hot pepper instead of a jalapeño.